And the group could build much earlier than expected

Compared to the treatment of cancer, diabetes and vaccines ophthalmology is Petit Poucet in Sanofi-Aventis. Even if it does not yet turnover, this therapeutic area is nevertheless one of the four major divisions of the Habs laboratory in terms of potential. And the group could build much earlier than expected.

While Chris Viehbacher, CEO of HABs champion of pharmacy, was a five year horizon, Fovea, platform specialist, should conclude several transactions this year. Sanofi-Aventis is currently of very close four acquisitions, including three in the United States and one in Israel, shows concurrent sources.

All the companies selected are present in the diseases of the retina, but with different approaches. One of US companies works in the medical device, another (in the United States) both in devices and drugs, and the last two in only drugs. "If all these transactions occur, the amount payable reach approximately EUR 1 billion." "This amount would be allocated over three years, because transactions include initial payments and additional payments," said another source.

Further evidence of his involvement in this area, the group will announce next month a broad framework agreement with the Institute of the vision, the Research Center housed at the des Quinze-Vingts hospital, in Paris. Sanofi-Aventis will bring its expertise and funding of several million euros per year, and a joint laboratory of Immunology-Ophthalmology should see the day.

"Today, diseases are described by their causes, and not by their symptoms, explains the"Echos"Chris Viehbacher.". For example, aging, the challenge for us is not to miss a large molecule, whether with Alzheimer's disease, cardiovascular problems or Immunology. "Acquire a medical device company corresponds to an integrated approach to ophthalmology, who could go from diagnosis to a prospective patient equipment.

The model would then accompany the patient throughout his illness, knowing that it often degenerative chronic diseases to slow evolution. Des gateways are identified with supplements of Oenobiol, the company acquired by Sanofi in 2009. "Ophthalmology is the only area where food supplements have demonstrated effectiveness." "They are involved for example in the prevention of age-related macular degeneration," recalls Bernard Gilly, the President of Fovea.

Sanofi-Aventis is especially place themselves in a growing market. Today, ophthalmology drug market is estimated at $ 29 billion, to which must be added 13 billion for the optical eyewear. It cannot advance, due to the aging population and current lifestyle, diabetes and hypertension. "More than 700 million people are blind in the world, including more than 50 million for the whole Europe-United States." Eye diseases are brought to double in the next decade, details the Professor José-Alain Sahel, Director of the Institute of vision. In France, degeneration age-related macular affects already 1.5 million individuals and 1 million diabetic retinopathy.

However, the French laboratory will have difficulty to catch up with Novartis, become world number one in the sector through the acquisition of Alcon. And it is not only in the race. GlaxoSmithKline has created a small internal structure named Ophthiris and Bayer acquired from Regeneron rights to a product that could arrive on the market in 2012. Roche is also present in America from the North via the Lucentis from Genentech. In this regard also, the proposed acquisition of Genzyme is interesting for Sanofi. Massachusetts biotech has a product in development for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration: AAV2-sFLT01. Genzyme is recruiting patients to complete the first phase of clinical trials.